Sounding baton.



P. A. FAIR.

SOUNDING BATON.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24. 1914.

1,150,856. Patented Aug. 24,1915.

Il i' PETER A. FAIR, OF HELENA, MONTANA.

SOUNDING BATON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

Application filed March 24, 1914. Serial No. 826,924.

'of the baton, both for choral leaders and band leaders, is to produce a sound to tract the attention of the performers, tnis being usually accomplished by the leader tapping with the baton upon the music .rest or some other'object before him; and it is an important 'object of this invention to provide a device especially suitable for choral leaders whereby the baton invservmg to attract the attention of the choir will also sound the desired key note of the selection to be rendered, in a manner which may not be mistaken.

A further object is to provide means whereby ordinary batons may readily be converted into sounding batons.

It is another aim to give a ready means for actuating the sounding element.

Another aim is to provide a pliicking device which will be applicable to use in connection with tuning forks, stringed instruments and other musical devices.

It is an important purpose of this invention to enable the'mounting of a timing fork and a sounding device in a compact and attractive form, especially adapted to forma continuation of a baton, although not necessarily limited to this use.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will appear, some of which will be apparent from the following description, and from the drawings, in

' which,

Figure 1 is a side View of a baton constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail side View at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. t is a cross section adjacent the end of the tuning fork looking toward the plucking device..

Thereis illustrated a baton comprising a body 10 formed of wood or any other desirable material having the customary length and proportions of such instruments, a ferrule 11 being fitted around its larger end, and a sounding element housing 12 mounted on the baton outwardly of the ferrule, provided with a threaded shank 13 engaged in the enlarged end of the baton. The housing, in the present case, consists of a small cylinder of metal corresponding in diameter to the large end of the baton, the outer end of which is closed by a small block 111 which may be ornamented at its outer part, if desired. The shank 13 may be formed integrally with the small head or block 15 at the inner end of the housing, or may be threaded thereinto as shown. In the present case the sounding element consists of a small timing fork 16 having a shank 17 engaged slidably in a suitable passage in the block 15, a Small set-screw 18 being engaged through the housing and block to bear against the Shank to hold it adjiistably in position, the screw being preferably a little below the outer face of the housing so as to obviate liability of injury to fabrics or surfaces. Carried by the block 14 there are two leaf springs 19 and 20, one extending parallel to the axis of the baton and the other diverging inwardly therefrom, its inner end being disposed parallel to the first spring, and a small block 21 engaged between the spring ends and held by means of a screw 22 engaged through registered apertures in the three elements, a nut 28 being engaged with the end of the screw outwardly of the spring 19, and a small pusli-knob 24 being also threaded on the screw outwardly of the nut and serving as a lock nut. The block 21 is spaced closely adjacent the ends of the tines of the fork, be-

ing recessed as at 25 adj aceiit the fork, into which recess there is projected an apertured ear 26 of a dog 27, a suitable pintle 28 being engaged through the block 21 and ear 26. The dog is provided with oppositely extending teeth 29 and 30, so spaced and positioned relatively as to allow pivotal movement of the dog to bring the tooth 29 inwardly between the tines of the fork for engagement against one of them when the knob 24e is pressed inwardly. The dog is pivoted so as to allow the tooth farthest removed from the knob to lie with its point closely adjacent the inner side of the tine farthest from the knob, the dog being held in this position by means of a small spring 31 held between the block 21 and the end of the spring 20, the spring 31 bearing against the inner side of the tooth and forcing it away from the block until the opposite tooth 30 rests against the block. ln this position, the outer side of the dog is inclined as at 32. By means of the set screw 18 the fork is adjusted so that the dog will engage the end of the fork just sulficiently to flex it slightly before slipping off its end, under the operation to be described.

It will be observed that under pressure upon the knob 24 the opposite or outer end of the dog will swing in an arc rather abruptly away from the fork, by reason of the connection of the spring 2O thereto, whereby the proper operation of the dog 27 will be greatly facilitated. In practice, it has been found that the device works well with Vthe fork adjusted to receive the tooth 29 against the tine 29 with an overlap of a little less than a sixty-fourth of an inch. The spring 2G serves to hold the dog in proper set position with respect to the fork and as the device returns to initial position when pressure upon the knob is relieved, the inclined face engages the end of the fork, the tooth yielding until it may spring into initial position after clearing the tine.

I do not regard my invention as limited to the specific showing herein, and it is understood that substantial changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention without departing from its spirit.

In practice, if the leader has a music rack before him with a wooden music rest or back, the baton should be laid flat against the board when the sounding button is operated, by which means the sound would be greatly magnified. rlhe sound is also magnified by laying the device against any wooden piece of furniture, a door or other Vresonant body, and may be heard at a considerable distance under such use.

What is claimed:

l. The combination with .a baton of a sounding device rigidly fixed thereto, a plunger carried by the baton projecting therefrom at one limitof its movement, yielding means to hold the plunger at said limit of its movement, and means carried by said plunger to vibrate said sounding device.

2. A baton comprising a wand, an alined cylindrical hollow housing carried thereby, a vil rant body fixed within the housing at one end and extending longitudinally therein, a transverse reciprocable spring-pressed plunger adjacent the vibrant member normally projecting from one side of the housing, and a plucking dog yieldable in one direction connected to the plunger and movable therewith, a part of said vibrant body being disposed in the path of the dog.

3. An attachment for batons and other articles comprising a cylindrical housing having a longitudinally extending opening in one side, a plucking mechanism at one end of the housing, a longitudinally extending socket in the opposite end, a tuning fork having a shank slidably engaged in said socket, and adjustable with relation to the plucking device, and means to secure the shank in the socket.

et. A note sounding device comprising a hollow cylindrical member, a tuning fork fixed to one end of the cylindrical member and. disposed longitudinally therewithin, a leaf spring having a substantially ogeeshape fixed by one end in the cylindrical member, arranged in a longitudinal direction with its inner end spaced from the fork, a block fixed on the spring, a dog pivoted thereon shaped and arranged to pluck the fork under movement in one direction and to yield to the fork under opposite movement, resilient means to hold the dog in plucking position, a connection between the block opposite the spring and the cylinder adjacent the base of the spring, and a push knob on the block.

In-a device of the character indicated a tuning fork, a mounting therefor, a leaf spring on the mounting having a free end movable transversely of the fork in closespaced relation therewith, a pivoted dog carried by the spring, a tooth on the dog projecting outwardly for engagement with the fork, means to limit pivotal movement of the dog in one direction, and resilient means to hold the dog in engaging position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PETER A. FAIR. lVitnesses G. 7. CUSLEET, STEPHEN CARPENTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained forrve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

